Saturday Racing Tips – Stakes Day – November 11, 2017

The following is a selection of Australian racing tips for Saturday, November 11. The emphasis is on Stakes Day at Flemington. Doomben, Morphettville and Rosehill are also covered. More tips and previews will be added as they become available.

Race 1:
Of the raced: BIONICS (wide/green) and GRAND CHALLENGE (closed nicely) ran well behind Setsuna at MV. That two-year-old won well again here Tuesday. ENCRYPTION’s debut was good without much luck/room behind Qafila, who ran well in that Setsuna race here Tuesday. AGENT PIPPA showed good speed and won well on debut in WA. Of the first-starters, KING led/won latest trial in Sydney in good style. BELZELLA looked to have plenty up her sleeve in latest jumpout. The other four newbies have all shown ability too so market may help us?
Selections 4, 1, 10, 6

Race 2:
SPEED good on paper: 7, 9 can sit one-two but any of 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 can be handy. MEET AND GREET faded at 2400m last time. He was just no match for Violate prior at this trip with blinkers added. That horse then ran a great race in the Geelong Cup. TARQUIN hit the line nicely in the Moe Cup behind two quality horses. He hasn’t been in restricted grade for a very long time. However, he hasn’t won for a very long time either. HAVE PLENTY beat home KOURKAM without having much luck two back. Kourkam has a relative weights swing. TIGER TIM back to 2000m can win.
Selections 8, 2, 5, 7

Race 3:
SPEED: 5 can lead 4 with 3,6,7 just off them, however, 1,7,8,9 are all dual acceptors so? FASTNET TEMPEST cost himself a win at Sale, he beat RAW IMPULSE clearly into third. MAN OF HIS WORD had excuses last time, he looked about ready to win off that 2nd-up run and has Religify/ Payroll form at 1600m. JACQUINOT BAY comes back from a good effort in a fast G1 Toorak, he can win! COLDSTONE and WAR LEGEND (if here) are chances.
Selections 4, 2, 1, 6

Race 4:
Not sure speedmap: 15, 5 may lead 9, 3 with 6, 10, 11, 12 capable of being handy. 2, 13 next? LITE’N IN MY VEINS flew at the line fresh behind Rich Charm despite the modest tempo. He has form around the elite in WA and is much better suited at 1400m. LORD ASPEN won this last year with 55.5kg and comes off a top win with big weight. At his last 1400m run he was second to multiple Group 1 winner Gailo Chop at weight-for-age. BASSETT looks ready now. SADAQA is often underrated and has come back very well this prep. DUKE OF BRUNSWICK can win also.
Selections 7, 2, 3, 9

Race 5:
SPEED: 2 may lead 4, 7, 9 with 1, 11 handy. QEWY was too strong for KIWIA in track-record time at Bendigo and had 59kg. VENGEUR MASQUE couldn’t quite reel in Cismontane in Lexus and that horse was not disgraced in the Melbourne Cup. Vengeur beat GALLIC CHIEFTAIN, VIOLATE, GREY LION and WHEAL LEISURE in the Geelong Cup prior, with Wheal Leisure being the best closer on a mostly on-pace day. COOL CHAP crossed line with Melbourne Cup fourth placegetter Big Duke in the MV Cup. Cismontane ties that form in here too.
Selections 1, 10, 4, 3

Race 6:
SPEED: 10 may lead 7, 9 with 2 handy. Not sure 5? 12, 13 off them? HEAVENS ABOVE found the line nicely in the Group 1 Myer here Saturday. She has run quite well at 2000m and is a Group 1 winner. PROMPT RESPONSE was as good as anything in said Myer off a wide run. There’s no reason to doubt her at this trip and she draws much better today. FALIKA is flying and has a big finish on her. She looks to have the mares from her last two starts covered. PAYROLL jumps to 2000m but she is well and truly good enough to win this. SAVAPINSKI has the upside and acts like 2000m will suit her.
Selections 1, 5, 6, 2

Race 7:
REDZEL deserves favouritism: he keeps winning! In the past 12 months he’s had eight starts for six wins and two photo-finish seconds. Having said that, VEGA MAGIC was the better run in The Everest (in my humble) then copped an early check at MV and was below his best. CHAUTAUQUA is crying out for the straight 1200m to my eye as he gets older. His late splits in Everest were outstanding. IMPENDING flew home late fresh behind IN HER TIME. In fact his closing splits were slightly better than the star grey’s on the day. In Her Time then beat all bar one in Manikato. MALAGUERRA a winning hope too.
Selections 6, 2, 1, 3

Race 8:
SPEED: 3, 15 can lead with 7, 6 going forward from wide gates. 8 can go hard! 14 can be handy. 11, 2 also? FOLKSWOOD was the best of those coming through a track-record Cox Plate, beating home GAILO CHOP, who had just beaten the Melbourne Cup runner-up. HAPPY CLAPPER was sound behind them. TOM MELBOURNE beat home TOSEN STARDOM in the Cantala Stakes but it was a better race to be handy and weight-for-age suits Tosen better. GINGERNUTS and CLIFF’S EDGE are the fresh blood. Gingernuts clearly has a case on his Jon Snow form.
Selections 7, 10, 4, 3

Race 9:
Speedmap unclear. 1, 7 may lead 10, 11 with 2, 3, 6 up there? ANDAZ ran home 11.8 his last 200m in the Group 1 Coolmore last week. Only winner Merchant Navy and Limestone hit the line harder. Less depth here and yes 1400m. ICON OF DUBAI was below his best here in Poseidon Stakes when well backed. He has since jumped out well and the Sambro form is easy to tie in here. TREKKING had no easy run last time. He can win. SIRCCONI a hope but he is left alone at the top of the weights today. SURJIN the best roughie? MURAAQEB wasn’t far off Formality latest. That’s Coolmore form too!
Selections 4, 9, 2, 3

Race 1:
BIONICS Just missed on debut finishing less than a length from the winner at Moonee Valley and did cover ground in the run. Gets the chance to go one better with the race experience. AGENT PIPPA Is the interesting runner after leading all the way for a soft win at Ascot on debut. The Craig Williams booking looks a significant lead. ENCRYPTION Hit the line strongly when placed at Caulfield on debut and can only benefit from the experience. RUN NAAN Did a good job to win on debut at Bendigo and has to be respected with the Tony McEvoy polish.

Race 2:
TARQUIN Was placed in the Moe Cup last start. Goes up sharply in the weights but this is easier, and his best form is around this trip. MEET AND GREET Was outclassed in the Bendigo Cup last start but better placed this grade. Runner-up finish at Caulfield two back looks a solid pointer for this. ONCIDIUM RULER Was well beaten at Caulfield resuming but is a horse that can improve sharply with a run under his belt. KASTOR Had plenty on a maiden field at Yarra Valley last start and although this is much harder there was plenty of authority in the last win.

Race 3:
MAN OF HIS WORD Had no luck at Randwick last start after successive placings at the Sunshine Coast and Doomben. Looks well placed and drawn to get all the favours in the run. FASTNET TEMPEST Is a European visitor who arguably would have won the Sale Cup instead of finishing second if he didn’t lay in badly. The blinkers go on and just needs to do everything right to be in the finish. COLDSTONE Has finished on the placegetters heels both runs this preparation and has won third-up previously. JACQUINOT BAY Wasn’t disgraced in the Toorak last start at Group I level and looks well placed back to a benchmark race.

Race 4:
SUPPLY AND DEMAND Very good resuming at Randwick when a close second over 1400m. Won four races on the trot before the break with the sequence starting over 1800m at Randwick. Would have declared him if he stepped up in distance but still the one to beat. LORD ASPEN Hit the line strongly to win at Morphettville last start. Has won two races over the Flemington 1400m and right in the mix. DUKE OF BRUNSWICK Covered plenty of ground in the run in the Weekend Hussler last start when down the track. Stays under notice on close fourth at Caulfield two back. BASSETT Wasn’t far from the winner at Moonee Valley last start and was badly held-up over the last 100m. Just needs even luck in running to be right in the finish here.

Race 5:
KIWIA Won well at Caulfield two back before hitting the line strongly in the Bendigo Cup last start. Looks well treated at the weights with a kilo less and right in the mix again. GALLIC CHIEFTAIN Just missed in the Geelong Cup last start after placing in the Herbert Power two back. Rates a winning chance with the blinkers on for the first time. QEWY Fought back to win the Bendigo Cup last start. Will be on the speed and nothing to suggest he won’t be in the finish again. COOL CHAP Was held-up at a vital time before finishing on the placegetters heels in the Moonee Valley Cup last start and can get into the placings here with even luck in running.

Race 6:
PROMPT RESPONSE Just missed bringing off a long-priced plonk in the Myer Classic last start when less than a half-length from the winner after covering plenty of ground in the run. Much better drawn here and is the one to beat. TAHANEE Backs up after an on-pace win on Cup Day. Just has to present in the same order to be right in the finish again. FALIKA Has won three on the trot. This is her toughest test to date but plenty of authority in the wins. SAVAPINSKI Battled on well chasing home Lubiton in the Tesio Stakes at the Valley and goes in all the exotics here from a likely on speed position.

Race 7:
CHAUTAUQUA Was controversially scratched at the barrier last start. Just settled two far back in his races in Sydney but continues to produce excellent closing sectionals. Has a good record up the straight and if he can be close enough in the run will take plenty of holding out at the finish. VEGA MAGIC Had no luck in the Everest two back and less than three-lengths away in the Manikato last start. Goes up the striaght here for the first time which looks a genuine query and place prospects best IMPENDING Worked home solidly when a close second in the Sydney Stakes last start. All the better for the run but this is harder and first go up the straight. CLEARLY INNOCENT Well beaten in the Everst last start. Arguably a length short of this grade but any rain about would help his cause as he is unbeaten on soft and heavy tracks

Race 8:
FOLKSWOOD A UK visitor from the Charlie Appleby stable at Newmarket and has shown his class in Australia winning the Cranboune Cup before battling on strongly in the Cox Plate when third. That looks the form reference for this but will need some luck from the gate. CLIFF’S EDGE Couldn’t hold off Aloisia in the Vase at Moonee Valley last start but don’t be surprised to see him run a big race here with just 51kg on his back from an on-speed position. GAILO CHOP Set the record breaking speed in the Cox Plate last start and only weakened over the last 100m. His Caulfield Stakes winner two back looks a solid pointer for this. HAPPY CLAPPER Won the Epsom three back but far from convinced he has run out 2000m at last couple. He’s a top galloper for sure but whether he can win over 2000m remains to be seen. Goes in all the exotics.

Race 9:
TREKKING Is ready to win fourth-up after finishing third in the Red Anchor Stakes at Moonee Valley last start on the back of an eight-week break between races. Will be a touch fitter and looks suited stepping up to 1400m. ANDAZ Is another that will appreciate getting to 1400m after finishing third in the Brian Crowley Stakes at Randwick two back before working home okay in the Coolmore last week. TAMASA Is unbeaten in two starts after victories at Warnambool and Bendigo. Clearly his toughest test to date but cannot do any more than win and has the Darren Weir polish. SIRCCONI Didn’t see out the mile in the Caulfield Guineas last start and can get into the placings over the shorter journey here.